Gettysburg Daily

150th Anniversary Battle of First Manassas Part 9

September 27, 2011

Confederate Brigadier General Barnard Elliot Bee Jr. (1824-1861) was one of the first general officers killed in the American Civil War. He was a native of South Carolina who graduated thirty-third in West Point’s Class of 1845. He was wounded and brevetted for gallantry at the Mexican War battle of Cerro Gordo. He was also brevetted for gallantry at Chapultepec. He was stationed at various posts in the west before resigning his commission on March 3, 1861. This image, courtesy of the National Park Service and Center for Civil War Photography, which has more than 1,000 historic images like these on their Flickr, was taken facing circa the 1850s.

The Gettysburg Daily decided on Thursday, July 21, 2011 that after finishing their tours at Gettysburg to drive to Manassas. The goal was to stand on the ground on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas, to document the scene, and to avoid the crowds.

In today’s First Manassas 150th Anniversary post we visit the monument to Confederate Brigadier General Barnard E. Bee, which was dedicated in 1939. Bee is most famous for giving “Stonewall” Jackson his nickname.

This is the National Park Service Map of Manassas National Battlefield. Most of the map shows areas concerning the Second Battle of Manassas, which was fought from August 28-30, 1862. Today, we are concerned about the First Battle of Manassas, which was fought on July 21, 1861. This final stages of the battle centered around the Henry Hill area, shown in the bottom right of the map. This map was scanned facing north at approximately 11:00 AM on Friday, July 22, 2011.

This is the National Park Service Map of the area around Henry Hill for the 150th anniversary period. Large tents, tractor trailers, Coca Cola trucks, Pepsi trucks, food stands, etc… dot the hill of the first major land battle of the American Civil War. So if you had thoughts of going to the battlefield and to be transported back in time 150 years ago, that was difficult. This map was scanned facing north at approximately 11:00 AM on Friday, July 22, 2011.

After visiting the equestrian Stonewall Jackson monument, we walked a short distance to the monument to Confederate Brigadier General Barnard E. Bee. The Bee monument is on the right. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

This image shows the Bee monument soon after it was dedicated on July 21, 1939. The cedar tree on the right that has a gap in the top has a sign on it. The tree marked the position supposedly occupied by Stonewall Jackson during the Battle of First Manassas. The next year, on August 31, 1940, Jackson’s equestrian monument was erected near the area of the tree. This image, courtesy of the National Park Service and Center for Civil War Photography, which has more than 1,000 historic images like these on their Flickr, was taken facing northwest circa 1939.

The sign on the tree states the following: “Here JACKSON was wounded and got the title STONE WALL July 21, 1861.” This view was taken facing east circa the 1920s.

More than one sign occupied the tree over the years. This view was taken facing east circa the 1920s.

The Bee monument is located on the ridge. On the right is the first aid tent. Behind the Bee monument is the C-SPAN van and the Family and Youth tent. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

The position of Jackson’s brigade, was not on this ridge whre the Bee monument is located. It was in the back left where the small white tent is visible. Barnard Bee is most famous for giving Thomas J. Jackson the nickname “Stonewall.” The first account of how that occurred was published in the Charleston Mercury on July 25, 1861: “The name of this officer (Bee) deserves a place in the highest niche of fame. He displayed a gallantly that scarcely has a parallel in history. The brunt of the morning’s battle was sustained by his command until past 2 o’clk. Overwhelmed by superior numbers, and compelled to yield before a fire that swept everything before it, Gen. Bee rode up and down his lines, encouraging his troops, by everything that was dear to them, to stand up and repel the tide which threatened them with destruction. At last his own brigade dwindled to a mere handful, with every field officer killed or disabled. He rode up to Gen. Jackson and said: ‘General, they are beating us back.’ The reply was: ‘Sir, we’ll give them the bayonet.’ Gen. Bee immediately rallied the remnant of his brigade, and his last words to them were: ‘There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Follow me!’ His men obeyed the call; and, at the head of his column, the very moment when the battle was turning in our favor, he fell, mortally wounded. Gen. Beauregard was heard to say he had never seen such gallantry. He never murmured at his suffering, but seemed to be consoled by the reflection that he was doing his duty.” This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

Were these the words that Bee actually said? At the dedication of the monument in 1939 the President of the University of South Carolina, Colonel J. Rion McKissick gave the primary speech and presented the following versions: “Dr. R. L. Dabney, one of the first biographers of Jackson, asserts that Bee said: ‘There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Rally behind the Virginians. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Follow me.'” This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

“Mrs. (Mary Anna) Jackson records that Bee said: ‘Look at Jackson; there he stands like a stone wall. Rally be­hind the Virginians!’ This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

“General Beauregard asserts that Bee said: ‘Look at Jackson’s brigade! It stands there like a stone wall!'” This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

“Gen. E. P. Alexander, who was in the battle, puts it: ‘See Jackson standing like a stone wall. Rally behind the Virginians!'” This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

The Henry House is in the right background. The seats for the 150th anniversary ceremonies are in the left background. In 1939, Colonel McKissick said concerning his dedication speech: “While I was preparing to come here today, a South Carolina woman of the elder generation sent me this message: ‘Be sure you don’t quote General Bee as saying to his men, ‘Rally behind the Virginians!’ because you know no South Carolinian would ever tell his men to do that.’ This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

There has also been some debate over whether the quote by Bee about Jackson and/or Jackson’s brigade was meant in admiration or as an insult over Jackson’s men not advancing to help Bee’s men. This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

We are moving to left or south for our final stops on our Henry Hill tour on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas. The Jackson equestrian statue is in the right background. The tree to the left of the equestrian statue is located at the Henry House. This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011.

We feel the best book on the Battle of First Manassas is John Hennessy’s book, First Battle of Manassas: An End to Innocence. It is part of the Virginia Civil War Battles and Leaders Series by H.E. Howard. This image was scanned facing north at approximately 7:40 PM on Sunday, August 7, 2011.

We feel the best picture book on the Battle of First Manassas is Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gary Adelman’s book, Manassas Battlefields Then and Now. You can order it from the CCWP by clicking here. This image was scanned facing north at approximately 3:40 PM on Sunday, September 18, 2011.